Windhover Veterinary Center

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The largest cage size dimension should be length and width rather than height. Adequate space should be present to allow exercise. Birds should be allowed out of the cage for proper daily exercise. Ultimately, the cage size depends on how much time your bird spends in the cage. (The more time, the bigger the cage. ) Perches should be of varying diameter to exercise the feet. Natural branches from unsprayed fruit or hardwood trees make excellent perches. Sandpaper perches do nothing more than cause sore feet. Toys should be carefully chosen. Many toys are unsafe. Some toys contain lead based products. Chain link toys and key chains can trap bird feet and tongues and cause serious injury. If you purchase a toy with a chain link, it is suggested you replace the chain with rawhide shoelaces. Be creative and make your own toys. (String nuts on rawhide, dog bones, rawhide chews, empty cardboard tubes from rolled paper products). One of the best things you can do for your pet bird ’s health and longevity is to provide proper nutrition through a balanced diet. Fresh Seed Mixes - should make up no more than 20% of a birds daily intake. Seed alone, no matter how many different types you are feeding, is never sufficient. Seeds and nuts are high in fat and protein and low in essential vitamins and minerals. Think how your health would be if you only ate steak and potato chips every day! Although many seed mixes are marketed as complete and balanced, most birds only eat their favorite seeds and the nutritious parts of the mix end up at the bottom of the cage. Often, the best use of seeds is to mix small, measured servings in with other food in order to encourage your bird to eat a more diverse diet. For example, the average cockatiel could receive S to 1 teaspoon of seed mix in addition to pellets and a dish of "people" food. Vegetables, Fruits, and People Food - can make up 40% to 80% of your bird ’s daily intake. Birds can eat pasta, grains, cooked rice, macaroni, low fat cheese, beans, tofu, sprouted seeds, and small amounts of cooked white meat and eggs. In addition, try offering broccoli, green beans, corn, spinach, kale, dandelion greens, celery, chicory, red peppers, carrots, sweet potatoes, winter squash, apples, oranges, cranberries, bananas, grapes, papayas, mangoes, etc. The list of what can be offered is endless. Produce can be offered daily as long as it is washed and not wilted. Vegetables can be raw or cooked. Try offering the same vegetable several different ways before assuming your bird won ’t eat it. For example, carrots may be sliced, shredded, or cut into sticks. Be sure to remove uneaten food daily. In general, foods that are healthy for you will be beneficial to your bird. Avoid foods that are fatty, spicy, salty, sweet or have caffeine. Avocado should be avoided because it has adverse and fatal effects in some birds. A varied diet with proper supplementation will result in a healthy bird with greater resistance to disease. Avoid over-feeding. An obese bird is easily stressed and is not healthy. Since many birds are raised exclusively on seed it is often difficult to get them to accept different types of food.

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